Peer Review on Competence Check for the Labour Market Integration of Female Refugees

Peer Review on Competence Check for the Labour Market Integration of Female Refugees AUSTRIA, 26-27 June 2017 Identification and Documentation of Competencies to Familiarise Refugees with Regional Labour Markets Peer Country Comments Paper THE NETHERLANDS DG Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Written by Ronald Lievens June, 2017

EUROPEAN COMMISSION Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Unit C1 Contact: Maria Ilies E-mail: maria.ilies@ec.europa.eu Web site: http://ec.europa.eu/social/home.jsp European Commission B-1049 Brussels

EUROPEAN COMMISSION Peer Review on Competence Check for the Labour Market Integration of Female Refugees AUSTRIA, 26-27 June 2017 Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion Peer Review on Competence Check for the Labour Market Integration of Female Refugees June, 2017 Austria, 26-27 June 2017

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Table of Contents 1 Situation in the peer country the Netherlands relative to the host country Austria 1 2 Assessment of the policy measure... 2 3 Assessment of the success factors and transferability... 4 3.1 Transferability of the Competence Check to the Netherlands... 4 3.2 Transferability of refugee measures in the Netherlands... 4 4 Questions to the host country in the Peer Review... 6 Annex 1 Example of relevant practice... 7 Annex 2 Summary table... 8

1 Situation in the peer country the Netherlands relative to the host country Austria When comparing the Dutch context to the Austrian one with regard to the number of refugee applications and recognition rates, a similar influx of (mostly Syrian) asylum seekers can be observed over the past two years. The rate of recognition, i.e. the share of positive decisions in asylum applications, has been well above the EU average in both countries (respectively 71% and 69% in the Netherlands and Austria compared to the EU average of 56%). As such, both countries are among the top six Member States granting the most positive decisions within the EU. 1 Since the majority of refugees do not return to their country of origin, both countries are faced with socio-economic challenges surrounding the integration and social inclusion of these newcomers. In the Netherlands, four prominent challenges can be observed. First of all, the relatively high number of asylum seekers has strained relevant institutions involved in the asylum procedure, resulting in decision making processes lasting up to six months and in some cases, up to 15 months (compared to eight days prior to 2016). 2 As a consequence, a substantial amount of time is likely to be spent idle by applicants awaiting their application outcome. Second, there are geographical allocation issues arising from a random dispersal policy. This results in frequent mismatches between refugee needs and locally available opportunities and resources (in terms of social networks and appropriate job availability). 3 Third, there are considerable obstacles to employment for refugees. This is illustrated by an employment rate of roughly 30% among refugees. Furthermore, 60% of refugees receive (long term) social benefits. 4. These figures can be attributed to difficulties regarding the recognition of professional qualifications, language barriers and limited awareness among employers regarding relevant regulations. Finally, the refugee crisis induced severe polarization among Dutch citizens and politicians with regards to their attitudes towards appropriate measures. For instance, in December 2015, plans to place an asylum shelter in the municipality of Geldermalsen were met with violent riots and outcries against local police and politicians. 5 1 Eurostat press release, Asylum decisions in the EU, 26 April 2017, last accessed 1 June 2017 via: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/documents/2995521/8001715/3-26042017-ap-en.pdf 2 RTL Nieuws, Asielprocedure niet zes maar 15 maanden, 10 February 2016, last accessed 4 June 2017 via: https://www.rtlnieuws.nl/nieuws/binnenland/asielprocedure-niet-zes-maar-15- maanden 3 Fóti, KláraFromm, Andrea, Approaches to the labour market integration of refugees and asylum seekers (2016). 4 Engbersen (WRR), Godfried, Jaco Dagevos (SCP), Roel Jennissen (WODC), Linda Bakker (SCP/EUR) en Arjen Leerkes (WODC) m.m.v. Jeanine Klaver en Arend Odé (Regioplan) (2015) Geen tijd verliezen: van opvang naar integratie van asielmigranten, WRR-Policy Brief 4, Den Haag: WRR. 5 NRC, Rellen bij gemeentehuis Geldermalsen om raadsvergadering azc, 16 December 2015. Last accessed 04-06-2017 via https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2015/12/16/rumoer-bij-gemeentehuis-geldermalsen-omraadsvergadering-azca1410746. June, 2017 1

To address these problems, there is growing emphasis on the importance of rapid and effective integration among policy makers and politicians. Several measures have been designed in an attempt to contribute to solving the above described challenges. Each challenge is briefly elaborated on below, and respective policy measures are discussed. 2 Assessment of the policy measure In the Netherlands, the sheltering of asylum seekers is organized by COA; the Centraal Orgaan Opvang Asielzoekers (Central Organ Sheltering Asylum Seekers). COA is responsible for managing crisis, emergency, and temporary sheltering locations. Asylum applications are managed by the IND (the Immigration and Naturalisation Service), which, despite financial injections from the national government to increase capacity, is struggling to handle the large number of applications in a timely manner. Delays are mostly caused by complex verification processes. 6 Upon the IND granting asylum, local municipalities are responsible for allocating appropriate housing. Prior to the crisis in 2015, this allocation was made on an ad hoc basis and often resulted in high mobility rates of refugees within national borders. 7 One explanation for this is that the (regional) labour market(s) play(s) an important role in relocations. 8 Refugees who obtain housing in favourable local labour market conditions are more likely to retain their position as opposed to those who are confronted with poor labour market prospects. Furthermore, regardless of these regional differences, refugees also face obstacles in entering the labour market in a general sense. 9 These obstacles are mostly related to language and job-specific deficits, often absent proof of skills and training, and limited recognition of diplomas obtained in a refugee s country of origin. Investing in, often necessary, additional training and qualifications is a time-consuming ordeal, resulting in a low initial labour market participation rate of refugees. 10 To ensure an effective housing allocation, which also considers these employment obstacles, the Netherlands launched the measure Screening and Matching at the end of 2016. This measure, which is implemented by COA, is designed to make housing allocation decisions based on work experience, qualification deficits and competences of refugees on the one hand, and the presence of appropriate education or work opportunities on the other hand. Through this measure, the government expects to relieve the social support system and increase the labour market participation rate of refugees. 11 6 Algemeen Dagblad, IND krijgt kritiek asielprocedure duurt veel te lang, 21 January 2016. Last accessed 4 June 2017 via: http://www.ad.nl/buitenland/ind-krijgt-kritiekasielprocedure-duurt-veel-te-lang~ab9717a0/ 7 A. Zorlu & C. H. Mulder, Initial and subsequent location choices of immigrants to the Netherlands, 42 Regional Studies 2 (2008), p. 245-264. 8 G. J. Borjas, Does immigration grease the wheels of the labor market?, Brookings papers on economic activity (2001) 1, pp. 69-133. 9 Randstad, 61% vergunninghouders in pilot COA en Randstad aan het werk: Pilot COA en Randstad geeft inzicht in problematiek, 2016. 10 Bakker, L. (2016). Seeking Sanctuary in the Netherlands. Accessed 7 June 2017 via: http://repub.eur.nl/pub/79617/proefschrift-linda-bakker-seeking-sanctuary.pdf 11 Divosa, Project screening vergunninghouders vandaag van start, 24 November 2016. Last accessed 4 June 2017 via: https://www.divosa.nl/nieuws/projectscreening-vergunninghouders-vandaag-van-start June, 2017 2

The measure is best characterized as a set of parallel processes combining integration, housing, education and employment. Prior to the measure, these processes were followed in a linear, sequential manner, resulting in considerable delays between each process. By introducing the Screening and Matching measure, municipalities, COA and other relevant stakeholders (educational institutes, refugee foundations and employment organizations) closely cooperate to ensure a swift and adequate integration process. While the measure hasn t been evaluated yet, anecdotal evidence hints at significant gains in terms of efficiency and achieved integration results. 12 The measure is subject to improvement and development, most notably with regards to the competence measurement of refugees. The national debate on rapid integration has also manifested itself in several local and regional initiatives aiming to stimulate meaningful waiting during the application procedure by facilitating competence scans, voluntary working arrangements and access to training. 13 For instance, the universities of Tilburg and Amsterdam are both introducing a pre-bachelor s programme for refugee students this year to foster the transition to tertiary education. 14 In Amsterdam, the Refugee Talent Hub provides quick links to language training and internships. 15 Together, these initiatives enable refugees to quickly adapt to their new environment and, in the frequent absence of a formal qualification, to effectively document and develop their relevant skills required for an effective employment hunt. A regional initiative focused on skill measuring/validation is the Competence Card, established in the Tilburg region through a cooperation between Tilburg University and the municipality of Tilburg. Through the Competence Card, refugees and asylum seekers can create a digital profile comprising their work experience, education, preferences, and various types of competence (self-) assessment. The Competence Card is structured on the basis of the American O*NET database of occupations and skills 16, which allows for targeted matching with vacancies. This profile is used to facilitate matches with employers and educational institutes, online as well as offline. For instance, at Tilburg University a speed dating session between employers and refugees was organized, where 69% of participating refugees received an invitation for a job interview based on their Competence Card profile. When comparing the Competence Card with the Competence Check, there are a few notable similarities and differences. Both methods are designed to identify core competences representing a refugee s employability through various exercises resulting in deliverables on education, experiences and skills. However, the Competence Card addresses a different target group (non-gender specific asylum seekers as well as 12 Divosa Er komt iemand binnen en die kan iets, April 2017. Last accessed 4 June 2017 via: https://www.divosa.nl/sites/default/files/sprank_bestanden/sprank-042017- er-komt-iemand-binnen-en-die-kan-iets.pdf 13 Werkwijzer Vluchtelingen. Accessed 4 June 2017 via: http://www.werkwijzervluchtelingen.nl/ 14 Tilburg University, Pre-Bachelor s Program for Refugee Students Starts August 28, 1 June 2017. Accessed 12 June 2017 via: https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/current/news/newsitem-pre-bachelor-refugeestudents/ 15 Refugee Talent Hub. Accessed 13 June 2017 via: https://www.refugeetalenthub.com/ 16 ETS, Identifying the most important 21st century workforce competencies: an analysis of the occupational information network, November 2013. Accessed 13 June 2017 via: https://www.ets.org/media/research/pdf/rr-13-21.pdf June, 2017 3

refugees), does not offer multi-lingual support beyond English 17, and does not include parallel access to courses. A unique feature of the Competence Card is that it is able to automatically match refugee profiles with vacancies, due to the structured nature of information. Regional initiatives such as the Competence Card are closely monitored by COA in their search for an effective skill measuring method for the Screening and Matching measure. As such, the level of national support which surrounds the Competence Check has not been attained yet in the Netherlands. 3 Assessment of the success factors and transferability 3.1 Transferability of the Competence Check to the Netherlands Upon examination of the success factors and transferability of the Competence Check, the described features and practices could prove to be a viable addition to the Dutch context. The broad but thorough examination of competences, accounting for their various forms of exploitation, suits the Dutch ambition of rapid refugee integration with parallel activities. Furthermore, being able to relay competence information applicable to different stakeholders increases the likelihood of appropriate matches being realized between refugees and supporting organizations (e.g. for training, placements and jobs). Subsequently, the combination of individual with institutional needs could be extremely valuable, but also challenging, due to the plethora of involved stakeholders in the Netherlands. Due to the absence of a standardized approach, a lot of time and effort is invested in customizing and combining the various systems in use, which are prone to overlap due to an often absent coordination. The mediation and referral functionality of the Competence Check could very well function as the linking pin between the various Dutch initiatives, provided consensus is attained on the core of the Competence Check (which is now different among most initiatives). With regards to this, the ability of the Competence Check to vary the format and additional measures is likely to be an important precondition for successful regional deployment. The facilitation of workshops, individual coaching and native language support could further enhance the effectiveness of the different Dutch initiatives (for instance, the Competence Card pilots revealed that adequate coaching and guidance are instrumental in creating quality profiles due to various levels of literacy and education). The success factor of the gender/diversity perspective ties into this, a stratified approach would certainly enhance Dutch practices due to the earlier mentioned diversity among refugees. 18 3.2 Transferability of refugee measures in the Netherlands In the Netherlands, local municipalities and the national government share the view that the integration process should be started as quickly as possible, primarily through facilitating adequate transitions to education and work. To achieve this, parallel 17 Multilingual competence measurements do exist in the Netherlands, e.g. NOA PPS- V, TalentScan. They were not subjected to analysis in this review due to a lack of comparative data. 18 SER, Signalering nieuwe wegen naar een meer succesvolle arbeidsmarktintegratie van vluchtelingen, 16 December 2016. Accessed 13 June 2017 via: https://www.opnieuwthuis.nl/documents/integratie/ser-arbeidsmarktintegratievluchtelingen.pdf June, 2017 4

trajectories in which there are simultaneous endeavours towards language training, social integration and (voluntary) work have become the norm. This goal is subject to several critical success factors, including political support, the allocation of sufficient financial means, acquiring relevant background information of refugees (in terms of experience and skills), reducing language and skill deficits, and actively involving appropriate stakeholders (educational institutes, local businesses) to provide education and working opportunities. The acquisition of relevant background information of refugees and the active involvement of employers are reported to be the most challenging success factors to attain. 19 With regards to the first, a mere 16% of Dutch municipalities reported to have sufficient knowledge on a refugee s background. The recently introduced Screening and Matching measure by COA is designed to improve the otherwise problematic background profiling of refugees, and to use their profiles to provide housing in areas with favourable employment conditions. In their search for an adequate skill measuring method, COA is monitoring various local and regional initiatives towards refugee integration. However, while a surge of such initiatives (such as the Refugee Talent Hub and Competence Card) may result in an emerging best practice, concerns have been raised regarding the limited information exchange and coordination among stakeholders resulting in delayed progress. Furthermore, a major implication of utilizing digital platforms and assessments is ensuring appropriate support of refugees. The refugees come from a variety of backgrounds with great differences in educational levels, frames of reference in terms of attitudes and expectations towards work, as well as (digital) literacy levels. Ensuring appropriate use of the online instruments requires careful guidance and coaching. With regards to actively involving organizations, 40% of Dutch municipalities do not have the necessary links with employers to stimulate job offerings to refugees. Furthermore, it has been reported that employers are hesitant in providing job opportunities to refugees, most commonly due to uncertainty about the implications. The regional examples of the Refugee Talent Hub and Competence Card show that these success factors can be met through synergy effects of cooperation between key stakeholders. By actively involving businesses, educational institutes and (local) government in accordance with the Triple Helix model- refugees can be provided with a holistic ecosystem comprising quick links to further training/education, (voluntary) job opportunities, and talent assessments. To reduce uncertainty and hesitation among organizations, several refugee and employer matchmaking days have been organized in which potential employer concerns and uncertainties are addressed and refugees have been able to present themselves professionally. 20 With regards to transferability, the Triple Helix model of committed employers, educational institutes and (local) government is based on universal principles and could be applied to other contexts as well. The competence scans as used by the Refugee Talent Hub and Competence Card are based on Anglo-Saxon indicators of talent and employability and are not location-bound in terms of their application and use. Taking 19 Divosa, Vluchtelingen aan het werk, June 2016. Accessed 6 June 2017 from: https://www.kis.nl/sites/default/files/bestanden/publicaties/vluchtelingen-aan-hetwerk.pdf 20 https://www.tilburguniversity.edu/nl/thema/arbeidsmarkt/displayarbeidsmarkt/opleidingsdag-voor-vluchtelingen-door-tias-en-st-vluchtelingenwerk/ June, 2017 5

the experiences in the Netherlands into consideration, the appointment of a governing authority is recommended to ensure an effective exchange of information and dissemination of practices among other stakeholders in the country. 4 Questions to the host country in the Peer Review In the Netherlands, the contextualization of Western/Anglo-Saxon competences has proven to be quite challenging. What were the experiences/lessons learned with regards to this in the Competence Check pilots? The Competence Check has a wide range of employability-indicators. Are these indicators relayed to the labour market for job matching? If so, how? Which classification of competences is used in the Competence Check? What is the nature of the formal and non-formal competence measurements? Does the Competence Check rely on certain scales? To what extent do regional approaches in Austria, in terms of competence measurement, collide with the core of the Competence Check? Were any hurdles (e.g. overlapping methods) experienced? June, 2017 6

Annex 1 Example of relevant practice Name of the practice: Year of implementation: Coordinating authority: Objectives: Main activities: Results so far: Competence Card 2016 Tilburg University, Municipality of Tilburg, Eelloo Fostering the integration of refugees through skill identification and labour market orientation Facilitating orientation of refugees on their competences through various self-assessments (e.g. on education, their dream job, personality, drivers, (digital, general and vocational) competences. Enabling refugees to share their competence profile with (prospective) employers and educational institutes online. Cooperating with municipalities, refugee foundations and organizations involved in the integration processes (i.e. using the Competence Card profiles as a basis for tailored refugee services). Successful pilots in the Tilburg region indicating high utility of the Competence Card for orientation and jobseeking purposes (measured by survey outcomes and number of job interviews acquired by using the Competence Card). Positive anecdotal experiences from other municipalities and national actors piloting the Competence Card (VluchtelingenWerk). June, 2017 7

Annex 2 Summary table Situation in the peer country relative to the host country Austrian and Dutch context are similar in terms of recent refugee influx. Refugee influx has strained institutions. There are considerable obstacles to employment and integration. Refugee crisis induced polarization among citizens and politicians. To address these issues, Dutch stakeholders emphasize rapid integration. Assessment of the policy measure National refugee sheltering organ COA cooperates with local municipalities to strive for effective allocation of refugees. A new measure was introduced, Screening and Matching, in which allocation decisions are based on refugee skills and their compatibility with local labour markets. COA is still developing this measure, specifically looking to strengthen the competence measure. Several local and regional initiatives are monitored in search for a best practice (e.g. Refugee Talent Hub and Competence Card). Online competence measuring tools which are currently in place regionally have shown promising (pilot) results. Assessment of success factors and transferability Transferability and success factors of Competence Check Broad examination of context-dependent competences for different stakeholder suits Dutch ambition of rapid integration. Combination of individual and institutional needs and variation of contents and formats could contribute to aligning Dutch regional/local efforts. The diversity perspective and varied degrees of intensity regarding Competence Check guidance caters to Dutch need for stratified approach. Transferability and success factors of measures in the Netherlands Political support, financial means, relevant background information of refugees, language barriers, and actively involving stakeholders are the important success factors for effective integration. Acquiring relevant background information (on skills, education) and actively involving employers are the most challenging conditions to realize. Limited exchange of information and dissemination among stakeholders hinders progress. Integrated approach in which government, educational institutes and businesses cooperation is based on universal principles. Consensus among stakeholders on a competence measuring method is vital. Questions to the host country in the Peer Review Experiences with explaining the Western context of the Competence Check? Are the employability indicators in the Competence Check relayed to the labour market? Does the Competence Check use a standard classification of competences? How are non-formal and formally acquired competences measured? Were regional practices hindering the adoption of the Competence Check (e.g. due to overlapping competence measurements in place)? June, 2017 8